Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya couldn’t have been more wrong in claiming traffic jams can’t be fatal.

In a tweet last August 30, a Twitter user whose identity was concealed claimed that the traffic jam caused the demise of the mother of the twitter user’s friend, who was in an ambulance. The post was later traced back to Facebook and other sites that also showed details of the incident.

In a Facebook post by Timmy C. Diagone, the avoidable tragedy happened due to the insensitivity shown to them, in the height of the Iglesia ni Cristo rally, August 29.

My friend’s mom died at a hospital along Reliance Edsa, my friend was crying while we’re walking to get to the hospital. Supposedly it’ll only take us 15 solid minutes from Cubao to the said hospital. But it took us 1:27 minutes to get there. Walking along Ortigas and and Edsa crossing, we had to endure the mass of INC’s rallying, to add to the agony was the grossest odor, Edsa smelt like urinal. What pissed me off and put me in shock was when “we couldn’t get through and had to asked favor to the INC’s to let us pass, reasoning out that we have to get to the hospital (taking a chance she would be able to talk to her mom) the lady that we spoke just lambasted us with a big word “SO WHAT!” We were shocked. We didn’t expected it so bad. I thought this religion knows GOD, knows what is kindness and respect. More importantly, I thought they know what is the feeling of LOSING.

We got passed after an hour and 27mins.While walking, I just realized how cruel the world is. How selfish we people are, we sometimes over think things. We sometimes push ourselves to the point that “WE HURT OTHERS” that we supposed NOT TO.

My point here: I don’t take it against to what they’re fighting right now. We owe them respect. But at some point, our brothers from INC’s MUST KNOW that a lot of people has been suffering from this rally. A lot of people has been excruciatingly enduring the pain to walk from Ortigas to Edsa Crossing just to go home or go to work. We respect their faith, their beliefs. But I also wanted to let them know that, they’re giving us discomfort already. If we BELIEVE IN GOD, IF WE BELIEVE THAT IN HIM THERE IS JUSTICE, IN HIM THERE IS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, AND THERE IS PEACE! The question is: WHY?

My friend just lost her mom, we could’ve made it and she could’ve said the words her mom needed to hear. She could’ve let her know how much she love her. But we’re late and she’s dead.

To the INC brothers out there, We love you. We respect and support your cause. We hope and pray that it will be resolved ASAP. I just also hope that, You could do something, like a good measure for other religions, other people who pass by EDSA – a respect that we also need. We understand you, just as well be responsible in your actions. Giving DISCOMFORT is NOT God’s thing. I hope you realized where to rally, who to speak to and what to do, in line with your faith and in life with what is JUST and GENTLE in the eyes of our LORD.

Instead of going to a hospital room, it ended up instead for the morgue as the unfortunate mother could not survive in an ambulance en route to an undisclosed hospital in Reliance, Mandaluyong City.

Their point of origin was from Cubao, and it would normally take them a few minutes to travel to the destination.

Was the collateral damage like this ever worth the protest against alleged interference against Iglesia ni Cristo? We don’t think so.

No amount of apology (and possible apologetic burial support) would bring back the lost life that could’ve been saved.